rubi zin

okay. so I've started working on the wine labels for Martini Vineyard (MV), and am struggling with which direction to take, not in terms of what I like graphically but marketability. Should a label emit class and prestige or, like Australian brands sold at Trader Joe's, can one design a contemporary, graphic image & still sell well? I arrived at this question only after completing a rough sketch for rubi zinfandel. (each 9 varieties will have different labels) I think it would be a good idea to do a series of tests, graphic design wise. As well as ask as many people I know the question: What compels you to purchase one bottle over another?

The image below still needs a lot of tweaking - both in terms of the fonts and graphic design, as well as with the cheery, pastel (accidental!) colors. I want the image to have the feel of parchment, of a well preserved photo-image from the 30's. Nevertheless, I thought I'd share my tinkering with you... that is, until I'm ready to enlist the help of my heavyweight designer friends.

1. MV (upper right) stamped in gold leaf

2. the rich gray is just a pseudo-matte for the image but somehow serves as a simulacrum of a bottle, and makes me realize that the muted palette doesn't quite work... unless used for a white wine...

detail of girl (just for the fun of it)

diver Deanne Shafsky illustrating the Swan Dive, 1952
(just a reference image I found online and thought neat)